In the last ten years, Doug Aitken, born in Redondo Beach (California) in 1968, has imposed himself as an artist who has interpreted contemporary themes in the most unconventional ways, combining sound with the new media – video, film, photography – and creating a sensorial world that totally surrounds the spectator in a form of pure communication
The Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, pursuing its intention to promote and support young Italian and international artists, has followed the creative course of this talented American for years: in 1996 it presented the video bad animal in Turin, for the occasion of the exhibition – award Campo 6.
In 1999, the Fondazione participated in the production of electric earth, a multiple projection onto 8 screens, that won the artist the International Award, when shown at the Venice Biennial. In electric earth, through the images of a metropolitan outskirts, he evokes the desolate spaces through which an alienated character moves frenetically in a span of time that flows unceasingly.
The installation of New Ocean foresees the use of film, video and advanced sound technology. The work is produced by the Fondazione itself, in collaboration with the Serpentine Gallery of London. After having been presented at the Serpentine Gallery of London in 2001, at the Art Gallery Opera City of Tokyo in 2002 and at the Kunsthalle of Bregenz (Austria) from December 7th to February 2nd, 2003, it will be re-projected expressly for the Foundation’s new space. The spectator will be invited to walk through it and follow the visions and fantastic spaces filmed by the artist in the geographical zones chosen on the five continents. A unique experience for the Italian public.
Doug Aitken was born in Redondo Beach, California in 1968. He studied at Art Center College of Design. His works was exhibited at Whitney Biennial in 1997 and 2000, Venice Biennial 1999 and Biennale of Sydney 2000. His videos was showed at Kunsthaus Bregenz, Austria (2002); Fabric Worshop, Philadelphia (2002); Tokyo Opera Gallery (2002); Magasin, Grenoble (2002); Serpentine Gallery, London; Dallas Museum of Art (1999); Victoria Mirò Gallery, London (1999); 303 Gallery, New York (1999, 1998, 1997 and 1994); Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo (1998, 1996)
